No Honor in Living
by Athals
Summary: A young Polish knight washes ashore on Berk after a naval conflict near Norway. Where will his life take him now? Berk? Or back to Poland? Currently rated T for minor adult themes, violence, and political realism.
1. Preface

It's been many years since Berk was invaded by Drago Bludvist, a madman with a dragon army. It's hard to even tell it happened. All the damage his enslaved alpha dragon caused has been undone. The whole island has been rebuilt, changing only in size and structure. New buildings and docks dot the island's landscape. The statue of Stoik the Vast, the last chief of Berk, shines in the harsh northern sun. His son, Hiccup, now rules the island. Europeans from France, Britain, and Poland travel to the Viking clans despite fear of coastal raiders and dragons that fly wild in the skies.

The above mentioned details aren't important right? Need more interesting details? Well, Hiccup and Astrid are no longer engaged. They are married and have two strong children. The world Berk sits on has grown more enchanted and chaotic. War threatens everywhere, Poland and Sweden clash with Danish invaders who took the Netherlands and Belgium. Against the threat of the Danes, the Scandinavian clans in Wales, Scotland, Iceland, and Norway have allied themselves tightly. Great fleets make all of these alliances possible. Men wash up dead on beaches from naval battles. Coastal towns are burned down by Danish armies and many people are left without their kin.

The Polish broke into several states ruled by a man named King Vard, known for his great military achievements. The state with the most interest in our story is Svenjula. It is ruled by Duke Albert from its capitol, Calivan. The city is famous for training boys from quite a young age into noble knights. These boys are trained to protect, to lead, and to serve Poland at the expense of life at some point or another. Knights are also trained to lead Polish sailors and marines in naval battles. Because of this, Polish knights can be found leading convoys of merchants in the seas around Europe and Scandinavia.

Most legends are focused on the military while love stories fall into ruin, but through it all a few odd love stories prevail. This is the tale of Alyss and Tenner.

Alyss of Berk, daughter to Chief Hiccup and Astrid.

Tenner of Calivan, a lost knight with no family.

Here we will sit and listen to the story. Uphold your focus and pin it here, for this is an adventure that will require both your ears.


	2. Prologue

As if a battle at sea isn't bad enough, try surviving one in a storm.

King Vard of Poland -

Sir Ronald of Calivan led a military convoy of ships to the islands of Norway in an attempt to get supplies for the city of Calivan in Svenjula, Poland. However they encountered Danish Sea Raiders off the coast of Berk, Norway. These raiders started a large skirmish during a storm. I regretfully inform you that Sir Ronald Balcer of Calivan was killed as well as the young prodigy Tenner of Calivan.

\- Scribe Ernest, Port Eijal.

Tenner looked around at the burning ships and body-littered, bloody waters. Through the rain, a ship fast approached his own; it was not friendly.

"Danes comin' aboard! Starboard!" Yelled a Svenjulan sailor in Polish. Marines led by Tenner of Calivan hefted shields and rushed to face the enemy. Their armor glinted like silver in the guttering lanterns. The Danish ship stopped threateningly close to theirs and began to fire arrows. The marines did their best to cover the sailors with shields. The Danish raiders began the lay out boarding planks.

The Danes, in hardened, black-brown leather armor, did their best to run across the planks, wielding chipped battle axes and worn longswords. A marine did his best to kick off a boarding plank, but a Dane archer shot him in the chest and he dropped to the deck. Most Danes were able to make it to Tenner's boat, but a few fell off from the storm churned waters. The Danes fought through a press of marines only to be attacked by Tenner. His knight's sword grated along a Dane's longsword, the raider's face locked in a feral snarl. Tenner yelled and hit the man with his shield. The Dane stumbled and Tenner dealt a killing slash across his chest. Tenner heard a yelp and whirled around. A young sailor was desperately trying to escape a burly raider. Tenner ran across the deck towards the poor boy. The raider's axe swung a few inches from the jumpy sailor's chest. Tenner slammed into the brute from behind and ran him through.

"Thank you," the young man croaked. Through the darkness Tenner recognized him to be his friend, Aedval. Tenner started to talk, but a whistling noise shot alarm through him. A half second later a searing pain exploded in his left shoulder. Tenner staggered against the gunwale. He was aware of Aedval grabbing hold of him. He turned painfully around to a welcome sight: Danish retreat.

Tenner faintly heard from the other ship, "Blow dem op allerede!" His English was good, so he understood Danish rather well too. A round object like a rock sailed onto his deck with a thump. He panicked and tried to warn the marines.

"Skocz za bur-" Tenner cried out in Polish, yet too late.

A fireball erupted next to his men, engulfing them, while a force of air sent him flying through the gunwale. Tenner hit the water hard, stunned for several seconds. He saw his sword sinking next to him. Instinctively, he grabbed it and sheathed it as he swam for the surface. Tenner breeched the crests of the waves and gasped for air.

Tenner looked at his ship, now sinking in flames. He cursed the Danes deliriously. He cursed them for the deaths of his friends. He cursed them for the arrow in his shoulder. A large beam from the hull floated by and he latched onto it. Tenner pulled himself onto the flotsam and his mind blanked from pain. The arrow felt like it was burning. Tenner shivered and rested his head on the wet wood. He looked at the Svenjulan convoy in flames, the Danes starting to sail away. The storm had subsided into thick, black cloud cover. False night was the only thing hiding him from the merciless eyes of the Danes.

"Sixteen and died at sea," the young knight murmured his death report.

Tenner took what he thought would be his last look at the world before losing consciousness in the blue-black sea.

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**Thank you for all of the support, all of you. I hope you enjoy the story, if you do please follow or favorite! **


	3. Chapter 1

Miles away a young maiden's dreams caused her eyes to tear up in sleep.

Edda,

I have no clue as to what plagues my child's dreams, but I was hoping you would come at least to talk with her about them. I worry for her, she needs more rest than can be had during nightmares. Most nights she sleeps well, but other nights she wakes up in terror.

Her dreams seem so real, the ones she will tell me about anyway. I could use your healing skills or some sort of mixture to put her mind at ease if she wakes up in a fright. Sorry I can't speak with you in person, I am overwhelmingly busy helping Hiccup with taxes.

Come by some time for tea and we can talk,

Astrid.

Alyss turned in her sleep, unable to rid the dream of the battle at sea from her mind. The whole battle had been terrifying. So many sailors lost their lives to sea raiders, many died from drowning too. She still remembered the fireball that engulfed one ship: burning most of the men and sending the rest overboard. She scowled without knowing it, another vision was entering her head.

A soldier in silver armor, wounded by an arrow, was clinging to a piece of jetsam. He floated in the water, blood slightly trickling out of his injury. She could hardly make out the Thunderdrum circling underneath him. The sea dragon came up for air next to him and sniffed his prone form. The dragon snorted and turned around. It latched its tail onto the wood beam and began to slowly pull the wounded warrior away. She tilted her head up and faintly saw Berk in the distance. Alyss sat up in her bed with a gasp, her blond hair slightly askew. Her blue eyes were wild with confusion.

'_All my other dreams have been scary, but unfamiliar_,' she thought. '_This is different, I wonder..._'

Alyss took the covers off her body and shivered. She got up from her hard mattress and slowly crept to her dresser. The floor creaked and she winced. Alyss opened a drawer and began to get dressed. She took a heavy fur coat and pulled it on. Even with the heavy clothes on, Alyss looked petite, but she was still strong. Some people say she got that from her mom. It's probably true. Alyss always complained to her truest friends in private that her mother's beauty wasn't always a gift in some areas. If there was one thing she didn't admit often, it was that she was self-conscious of her image. Alyss strapped on her sword belt and long scimitar.

'_Just in case,_' she thought to herself, worried. It took her a few moments for find her boots. Now she was ready to go.

Alyss could hear her parents snoring from the loft bedroom as she sneaked out of her room. She hoped they wouldn't wake up from the protesting of the floorboards. The lonely, howling wind picked up and she used the noise to hurry to the front door without being heard. She waited until the gust abated and opened the heavy door to her family's cabin. Managing to get out unnoticed, Alyss made her way toward the docks. The cold morning air bit at her face and the wind chilled her nose and ears. Alyss snuck past quite a few watchmen. Her trick was to hide behind corners and crouch behind barrels anytime she saw a bobbing torch.

She made it to the stairs leading down to the docks and froze. A watchman was making his rounds up the wooden stairs. There would be little she could do to avoid him. After a moment Alyss whistled for her dragon. Two low cries echoed through the night as Thaven rose from the water to the platform she was on. He nuzzled Alyss with both heads, cooing like all Seashocker dragons do. His blue stingray-like body draped over a large portion of the wooden stairway. Alyss clambered onto his right head, the one that controls his movement. Thaven's left head serves as a lookout and a fighter.

"Up," Alyss whispered.

Thaven launched himself backwards and turned around in midair. He glided out towards sea, but Alyss pulled him back along the coast. Thaven snorted unhappily, Alyss patted his head.

"We have to go look for somebody," she told him. "Somebody from a dream." She grimaced in the cold and wrapped her clothes tighter around her body. The night air was colder than normal, the storm that had just blown through dropped the temperature below enjoyable. Alyss looked up at the clouds, slightly blocking out the moon. The night seemed like it had lasted forever, but that was partly because the storm had lasted during the day too. Alyss looked back down at the water, not seeing anything. She guided Thaven closer to the sea. The tidal dragon enjoyed the water, especially its depths. The surf was not close enough to the young dragon so it dived and tried to skim the water.

"Hey! Up!" Alyss yelled, not wanting to get wet. Thaven pulled up before he hit the water.

Thaven chortled, but respected his rider's wish. Alyss kept looking around, not knowing what to expect. White caps broke against the surface of the shore, lulling Alyss nearly asleep. Thaven was hit by a sudden gust. She was startled awake as he steadied himself. Alyss spotted a glimmer in the moonlight, what looked like a star upon the beach.

"There, the silver speck," Alyss pointed the object of attention out. Thaven cooed and dove toward the patch of silver. He hit the beach lightly and Alyss slid off his neck.

As she drew closer the fallen star turned into the soldier, the night's veil whisked away. She rushed to him and shook him a little bit. Alyss pressed her fingers against his strong neck and could feel a faint pulse. She put one hand flat around the arrow and broke off the shaft. Alyss turned the soldier over into her lap and took off his helmet. The soldier wasn't old or scarred like she had imagined. He was surprisingly handsome, his brown hair was spikey and foreign. He had a strong jaw and elevated cheekbones. His brow was perfect, at the moment not furrowed in discomfort. He couldn't be older than eighteen: at least she hoped. She smacked him on the cheek. He groaned a little bit, his eyebrows narrowed together.

"Can you hear me?" Alyss asked. His eyes fluttered, scarcely open.

"I think," he murmured in a daze of pain and cold. His face contorted with distress slightly.

"I'm going to get you somewhere safe, but you are going to have to trust me," she told him. Alyss nodded at Thaven to come over. The dragon padded over on the soft sand. Thaven sniffed the warrior's face and cooed. The young man's eyes widened a little bit, and he stirred.

"Ah, not so sure," he said scared. She put reassuring hand on his left breastplate.

"It's okay, that's Thaven. He's friendly. My name's Alyss, do you have a name?" She inquired.

"Name…Tenner," he muttered.

"Okay Tenner," Alyss smiled. "I'm going to get you to onto Thaven." She had Thaven position his heads on either side of Tenner. Thaven buried his left head partway in the sand. Alyss half flipped Tenner onto Thaven, who rose with the wounded warrior straddling his head. Alyss tied him down to Thaven and got on the other head.

"Let's go," She told Thaven. The sea dragon launched himself into the air as gently as possible. Thaven glided through the cold air back towards the village of Berk.

"Holy hell," Tenner's soft words were lost in the wind. "To think I'm flying on a dragon...this is strange."

He turned his head over to look at Alyss. She was quite beautiful for a Nord. Most descriptions of Nord women depicted them as meaty, yet that was the opposite of Alyss. Her blond hair streamed back in the wind, whipping around. Tenner admired her smooth cheeks and narrowed chin.

'_Don't fall in love with the girl,_' he thought drearily. '_This isn't your home nor is it your life._' He shifted and winced. The arrow barb was buried so deep and his heart felt so slow. Alyss looked over, Tenner looked asleep.

"Faster, Thaven. Faster!" She yelled.

They flew over Berk like a speeding star. Alyss directed Thaven to the healer's hut and he opened his wings and made a fast, smooth landing on the ground. Alyss got off Thaven and used her hunting knife to cut off the ropes holding Tenner. She ran up to the front of the Edda's healing hut and banged on the door. Edda opened the door quickly with a look of concern.

"Alyss?" She questioned, her rough voice common among Nords.

"I found a castaway soldier," Alyss explained. "He got hit by an arrow, I think he's dying."

Alyss didn't have to finish her sentence before the heavyset Edda had pushed her aside and made her way to the injured Tenner. She picked him up off Thaven and carried him inside her hut. She laid Tenner on a cot facedown.

Edda opened the soldier's mouth and looked at his tongue. "The arrow was poisoned," she announced. "I'll have to take it out." Edda grabbed a pair of small tongs by the fire and sat down next to Tenner. She pushed the tongs into his shoulder through the wound and pulled out the arrowhead. It was black with blood.

Alyss flashed a look of concern. Edda told her it would be fine. The herbalist grabbed a small ceramic bowl on the table poured the mixture into the wound.

"He should be fine now, I just need to stitch him up. Then he could use some rest for a week or two," Edda reassured her. "What's his name?"

"Tenner," Alyss answered. "I don't know anything else."

"Mmm," the middle aged healer traced her fingers around the bowl. "How did you find him?"

Alyss stared at the top of Edda's black haired head. "I went for a nighttime flight."

Edda coughed. "In this weather? Oh but what does it matter, you saved the young man. I'll send for you when he's better. Now off with you, back to bed." The grumpy healer hurried Alyss out. She walked over to Thaven and stroked his head. He purred audibly in response.

"I'll walk back to the house on my own," Alyss told him. "Go get some sleep." Thaven pressed his head against her hands, then backed away. The blue dragon flew off, stirring the cold air.

Alyss yawned, with no interest in evading the watchmen. She walked the streets half-asleep until she was near her house. Alert once more, she watched for her family patrolling around. She came around the corner nearest to her house.

'_And there goes my freedom_,' she told herself.

Her dad was talking to some of the watch. She considered sneaking back around the house, but her father had already caught sight of her.

"Alyss!" Her father called. "Please come over here." Resigned to fate she shuffled over to her father. The watchmen walked away, chuckling lightly. "Where have you been? I hope you weren't sneaking out again."

"I went out for a nighttime flight," Alyss tried to explain. "Then I found this wounded soldier washed up on the far beach. He looks my age, yet he was leading soldiers in such a terrible fight."

Hiccup stroked his brown beard, a habit Alyss found annoying. "So the young man, how did you know about the battle he was in?"

Alyss scowled, her dad always was smart enough to somehow get information she hadn't meant to include.

"He told me about it," Alyss lied.

"Ah," Hiccup said skeptically. "Well I was just worried that you'd get hurt out there." Her father turned around and went inside. Alyss followed, right into the arms of her mother, Astrid.

"I made tea," Astrid told her daughter calmly. "It should help you relax." Alyss took the tea from her mother and sipped it slowly. It was spicy and warm.

"Thanks mom," Alyss smiled and sat at the dinner table.

"You're welcome dear," Astrid said, handing Hiccup a cup as well.

"So," Astrid started, growing more excited. "I heard you met a boy."

"Yes," Alyss admitted. "He's handsome and I assume he's brave."

"That's good!" Her mom chuckled. "I assume he's at Edda's. Oo! What's his name?"

"Tenner," Alyss answered, getting embarrassed. "Mom can I go to sleep?"

"Oh fine," Astrid sighed. "Just trying to make you flustered."

Alyss got up from the table and went into her room. She closed the door, kicked off her boots, and fell in bed. She went back to sleep without nightmares for the first time in a week.

* * *

**Expect an update Saturday April 5th I hope. I know I said the 4th. Sorry for overestimating my time! The last update includes story fixes. Message me about anything that's bugging you in my story. i.e Grammar, missing background info, or just simple questions: I'll answer your questions and requests! (PM me)!**


	4. Chapter 2

Weeks passed slowly, like little birds caught in the wind.

Alyss,

I'm pleased to tell you the young man has recovered enough to take to his feet. I have learned he is in the good light of King Vard of Poland. A prince some might call him, though he seems to take that title bitterly. The wound is healing nicely as you might assume, if you'd like to visit don't bother knocking. Despite being full of good cheer and health Tenner appears troubled over something. See if you can't get it out of him.

Edda Yacskald.

Tenner awoke, his eyes drifting open. His mouth was dry and he coughed. He took a look around at his surroundings. The building was oddly U-shaped. A door dominated the flat end and a fireplace occupied the curve of the structure. Plants hung dried or drying on the walls. Several shelves were stacked with bowls and jars. There were a few tables and chairs. A couple cots lined the other walls, he assumed they were no more comfortable than his own. Two tripods with pots hung over the fire, which was burning low. Next to the fire sat a woman, who looked exactly like Nord women were described.

The room smelled of cooking food, though what Tenner could not discern. His stomach growled and he tried to sit up. The women, who he assumed was a healer, woke up.

"Easy does it," she said softly.

Tenner stopped trying to move. "What's your name?" Tenner asked in a scratchy voice.

"Edda," the healer replied. "I suppose you know I'm the healer. I already know your name." She proffered a dripping waterskin.

"Thanks," Tenner replied, taking a relieving draught. "Thanks for everything."

He paused before asking, "How long have I been out?" Tenner sat up further with care. He could feel stitches stretching in his shoulder.

"Five days," Edda answered. "That arrow you got hit with was poisoned. Took quite a few herbal remedies to save you. At least the poison slowed your heart rate, otherwise you would have bled to death."

"Not dying is nice," he mumbled. The healer chuckled, Tenner made note that she had a sense of humor.

"Should I send for the young lady who rescued you?" Edda raised an eyebrow. "Or would you like to wait." Tenner shook his head.

"I'd like to be able to move around first," he admitted. "Not that manly for me to be laying on a cot."

"I doubt that she'd care," Edda scoffed. "Eh. You should be able to get around in a few days. Mind me asking where you're from?"

"Poland," Tenner looked at his feet hanging off the cot. "I'm from the state of Svenjula as far as I know. I've never known what kin really is, only had a knight's life so far. The closest person I had to a father was my mentor Sir Ronald. I think he's now dead. The king of Poland, Vard Auttenberg, took me to the knight's school on the night of my birth. There have been rumors that I am his son, but I don't look or walk like he does. He wanted me assigned to his guard, but Sir Ronald needed me for convoy duty to Norway. The convoy was attacked off the coast by the Danish, and so too was my ship. Now I'm here." Edda scratched her chin, looking at the young man.

"I figured you were from Poland, a few Poles have come through here before. You're in Norway, on the Island of Berk," she affirmed. "If you are looking for a place to retreat Berk isn't bad. You'll see why once you walk around. What's the state of war in Poland?"

Tenner grimaced. "The Danes winning on the coastline," Tenner explained. "Svenjula is the least affected at the moment. There is disturbing news that after Denmark took the Netherlands and Belgium; the two countries have joined their army's ranks. Dutch and Belgian men are trained to fight on land and to take forts. That would not be good for Poland."

Edda looked at him seriously. "You seem quite wrapped up in politics, are you a prince?"

"No," Tenner replied with angry eyes. "I'm not."

Edda frowned slightly, quickly changing the subject. "I have some food," she said as softly as possible. "Would you like a bowl of stew?"

"Yes thank you," Tenner said distantly.

Tenner stared off into a swirl of memories as Edda helped him get some stew. He remembered before he left for Norway…

"I don't care dammit!" Sir Ronald yelled at the squire standing at the entrance to the Master Knight's chamber. "Tenner is my apprentice and I need him for this mission. Write that down and take it to his majesty! I will have one of the other masters send him a different knight."

"Sir, he isn't going to like that," the squire protested respectfully. He picked at the orange facings on his red gonelle.

"Tell King Vard he can have Izaak for now," Sir Ronald sighed, leaning his hands on a desk. "I will lend him Tenner when I am back from Norway." Sir Ronald rubbed his forehead, his chainmail hauberk clinking. The squire bowed his head and quickly exited the room.

"Sir, you don't have to disobey the king to keep me out of politics," Tenner said from behind Ronald.

"Nonsense," Sir Ronald huffed, turning to face his apprentice. "You have too many talents better suited elsewhere. It would be a waste for you to get caught up in court murders and trappings. Pack your equipment, the convoy leaves tomorrow morning."

Tenner nodded and exited the room. He could feel Sir Ronald's sad eyes on his back.

"Here," Edda said rather loudly. "Daydreaming?" She handed him a wood bowl and carved spoon. The soup looked like beef stew, except with stranger ingredients.

"You might say that," Tenner said, taking a cautious sip. The soup was not what he was used to. "This is different."

Edda laughed. "Thought you might say that," she told him. "It's yak cabbage stew."

Tenner nodded, getting sleepy. He finished his soup and laid down to rest.

_Outside in the cold weather, Berk carried on with its way of life._

_Days passed, Tenner grew stronger by the hour._

On top of a spire of rock out at sea, dragons and riders rested for mid-day lunch.

On the rock there were four humans and four dragons. Alyss's Seashocker dominated a large portion of the spire. There was a Fright Golphin, black-blue like the sea. This dragon has the ability to find anything and has lightning fast teeth equipped with paralyzing saliva. This dragon belongs to Iga, as she found it stranded on Berk and raised it. Next to the Golphin was a Gobsucker, a large, orange dragon that belongs to Muggnutt. On the other side of the spire, Stoutlout's dragon grumbled restlessly. His dragon was an old Thunderclaw: a large, purple dragon that has the ability to shoot green fire. Her three friends: Stoutlout, Iga, and Muggnutt sat in the midst of the dragons.

Alyss stood on the edge of the spire. The sea breeze tossed her hair about like serpents. To her friends, she looked rather impressive. Today she wore leather stivali boots over dark brown breeches. She wore a short dress that came down almost to her knees. It had brown fabric stitched over soft blue material. Alyss especially liked that her sleeves were the silken blue. The outer brown part of her dress was laced crisscrossed to her chest, yet room was left to see a soft stripe of blue down her center. The shoulders were her favorite part of the outfit. They were cut vertically into strips at the shoulder and reattached by a band just above her elbow. She had her sword belt stitched into the waist underneath the outer part of the dress, though the scabbard of the sword was on the outside.

Astrid's friends wore an assorted collection of colors. She frowned a little bit, thinking about most Vikings' dull taste in clothing. Iga looked like a fox with all the poor little animals' hides her clothes were made of. Most Vikings on Berk never wore fox hides, but she was from a different clan. She carried a typical Nordic sword she had bartered from a merchant. Muggnutt wore a leather jerkin and pants, both of which had similar colors. He carried a mace his father had given him for his fifteenth birthday. Stoutlout wore a half tunic with his father's old wolf fur vest. His pants were held up by the Jorgenson 'belt of glory'.

'_Belt of mercy,_' she'd think every time he brought it up. '_Thank Freya it hasn't broke._'

On his belt hung a war axe, an improvement from his father's old hammer.

Stoutlout gnawed noisily on a large chicken leg. Muggnutt was drinking from a wineskin and Iga was sucking on yak jerky. Alyss ate nothing, as she had no interest in food at the moment. Not only was she not hungry, but she was distracted. Her father had warned her to look for Danish ships sailing the waters. He wanted the raiders to be kept away from Berk after she had brought back the Polish soldier.

"Hey Alyss," Stoutlout called. "What are you hungry for? Because I got all of the food here."

She looked back at him. The burly oaf was flexing in front of a bundle of food.

"Ugh," Alyss cringed. "Stop that, I'm not hungry for _anything_."

"Such a shame," He pouted sarcastically. Stoutlout undid the bundle and took out a chicken wing. "After all, it is such a tender, tender chicken." He flexed his right arm and took a bite out of the chicken wing with the other. Stoutlout's dragon narrowed its eyes from behind him and began to creep upon his rider.

She almost laughed knowing what was going to happen. "Oh and what else have you got in there?" She asked almost sincerely.

"Uhhh..." He said looking down, still holding up the chicken wing in the other hand. "I have a goat pie. I have a-" The Thunderclaw darted forward and enveloped Stoutlout's hand in his mouth. Luckily the dragon was old and missing many teeth.

"Brokenfang!" Stoutlout cried in irritation. Saliva was dripping down his arm as he tried to pull out his hand. There was a loud sucking noise and Stoutlout's hand came free without the chicken.

"Gluttonous dragon," he grumbled.

"Fat Viking," Iga coughed. Alyss grinned.

Soon lunch was over and the dragon riders had to return to Berk. That morning no ship had been sighted, thank Freya.

Alyss and her friends flew into town to a crowd surrounding a man. The man was Tenner. They landed behind everyone and hopped off to hear what was going on.

"What news from the front?" Asked a Viking.

"Poland is currently fighting to regain its coastline in the states of Skeadlen and Arbour," Tenner told them. "The knight's academy has retaken the Swedish town and stockade at Visby. Danish raiders have won few battles."

"Yet you were destroyed along with your fleet," another Viking scoffed.

"Yes well there was no fleet. Only a convoy," Tenner admitted. "The reason my ship was sunk lies in Danish weapons. They have some kind of new firepower and it can tear a ship to splinters."

"That's not good," the same Viking admitted. Nervous faced showed in the crowd. "Let's go everybody, time to get back to chores." Clusters of Vikings began to depart in various directions.

Tenner smiled as he saw Alyss, she waved and walked up to him. He was wearing his armor besides the helmet. His sword hung from his waist in a leather scabbard adorned with metal.

"Hey," Alyss said smiling. "Glad to see you're walking and talking."

"Thanks," Tenner said warmly. "It's good to be up and about. Though the hole in the back of my armor is bothersome. Thank you for saving my life, it's a miracle you found me."

"Call it that," Alyss agreed. "Glad luck hadn't left you." Alyss's friends walked up behind her. "These are my friends and enemies, same thing really." She introduced them all, luckily Tenner could match Stoutlout in size. Tenner stood almost as high as Stoutlout and had broader shoulders. Where Vikings were meaty, Polish men apparently were made of hard earned muscle.

Tenner actually took a liking to Stoutlout and gave him a friendly man hug when he met the town fool.

"So you're Polish huh?" Stoutlout asked. "That's cool. I'd like to see their knight academy, I've heard it's where the best warriors are trained."

Tenner laughed good-naturedly. "Not everyone comes out as a good soldier, but most do through time. I came out of training alright, as far as my superiors are concerned anyway."

Alyss was impressed, but only slightly. "That's a noble path. It's odd how knights can be young. I always thought of knights as being older."

"Some are, but most start out young," Tenner admitted. Two dragons flew overhead, fighting in midair. "Holy! What was? Dragon attack?"

"Not quite," Alyss laughed. "Dragons are our allies here. We train them."

"Well mostly," Muggnutt butted in. "They are still dragons and never really lose touch with their wild spirit."

"Huh." A mystified Tenner said while staring at the dragons. "I thought monsters, magic, and dragons were crazy enough without being tamed by mankind."

Alyss smiled lightly, "Then Berk will be crazy to you." She reached out and took him by the arm "Come on, you should meet our dragons." She took Tenner over to Thaven. The dragon made a cry at Tenner and fins rose from its neck. "Let him sniff you." Tenner held out his hand to the curious blue dragon. Thaven cautiously approached and sniffed the knight's armored hand with his left head. The dragon was looking deep into Tenner's brown eyes. Tenner was amazed by the yellow and black streaks of color in Thaven's eyes. The black pupil that dilated based on mood and light. The dragon cooed and pressed up against his hand. The fins receded into the dragon's neck and back.

"He's amazing," Tenner smiled. He put his other hand behind the dragons head to feel for the fins, yet he could not find even a ridge. "The folding fins are pretty impressive.

"Yeah that's how I'm able to ride him," Alyss giggled. "Without that adaptation it would hurt to sit down."

The other dragons were all very unique as well. While Thaven was intelligent and quick, Brokenfang was greedy and clever. Stoutlout always had to feed him, when he didn't the dragon would get food in a less desirable way. Iga's dragon, Crest, was quicker than any other dragon and twice as social. Though friendly licks must be dodged, as they may paralyze the receiver. Muggnutt's dragon, Stinker, was strong and lacked any manners. It would fart gouts of fire occasionally, hence the name stinker. Avoid the rear end.

Tenner spent the day getting to know everyone on the island. Or so it seemed to him. Knights, used to political meetings full of introductions, were trained to put up with this boredom. Tenner found it no different from meetings in castles. Except this time most introductions were extended on the street, in homes, and in the Great Hall.

Dinner was like a tavern scene, full of boisterous cheer. The Great Hall was filled with all the Vikings from Berk and a neighboring clan. Candles sat on tables packed with food and heavyset Nords. Torches burned on pillars engraved with Viking depictions and legends. The massive oval stone fireplace had spits roasting boars and chickens. Warmth flushed everyone present with its tender blanket. Smells went from burnt food, to mead, to Viking, to smoke and back again. Everyone laughed and sung to their heart's content. Smiles and filled cheeks were the most common facial expressions. Hiccup and Astrid sat together with Alyss, her friends, and Tenner. The dinner lasted for several hours. Hiccup talked to the other clan leaders and Tenner about political matters and history. Taking a liking to the now weary knight, Hiccup and Astrid invited him to sleep in their son's old room.

"Here you are," Hiccup announced, opening an old door in the Haddock house. "Your room for your stay."

"Thank you very much," Tenner rubbed his eyes. "Do you mind me asking where your son is now?"

"He left to join another tribe with friends he made there. He never fit in here, he always told me. When he left he said that despite his hardships on this rock, he would always return when I needed his help." With that Hiccup turned and shut the door to Tenner's room quietly. Tenner laid down on the bed in the corner of the room.

He whispered quietly to himself. "I love it here, but I don't think I would have any honor living here while my country burns on the fires of war." He frowned, troubled. Then sunk into a fitful sleep devoid of peace. Outside cold rain began to beat down on the island. Dark-gray clouds tumbled over Berk's mountain peaks. At sea a slave ship was rolling in the night, a man with a noble face and gray hair bent at the oars. A tear, maybe sea water, fell from one of his sad eyes.

**I got this to you guys late, I apologize. Time isn't always my friend. I'll try to set a better deadline next chapter. Please enjoy. :)**


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